Joyce Lorraine (Christensen) Sylvester, 80, of Fort Peck died Thursday, April 8, 2022. She was born Oct. 28, 1941, in Hinsdale to Margaret Ann (Renken) Christensen and Julius Oliver Christensen. She joined older brother Darrel Christensen and then two younger sisters, Janice Christensen (St. Claire) and Linda Christensen (Porteen). As a child, she loved acting, dancing, playing dressing up with her siblings. She also enjoyed making paper dolls out of old catalogs and clothes for her kittens but she said “they didn’t like it very much” and laughed. During her teenage years, she loved singing at the church, teaching Sunday school and playing the baritone at Hinsdale High School. She married after high school and lived in Glasgow. She had four children, Stacey, Daniel, Margot and Harlin. They tragically died at a very young age. She felt God had a special calling for her in her life. “I feel the only and most important purpose to my life was to contribute in the best way I could as a friend, wife and especially as a good mother. I believe He taught me, after the loss of my children, that maybe I could help and be there for others who were having troubled times in their lives. I have worked very hard at this.” She married Sam Sylvester on Nov. 4, 1969, in Glasgow. They had three children, Rockwell Joel Sylvester, Shawn Lear Sylvester and Tara Lynn Sylvester, and Dennis Hanzlik was loved as one of her own. She enjoyed raising her children and being active at Nashua School being a school cook, sewing uniforms for choir, band and cheerleading and helping with all her children’s multitude of events and activities. She was an active leader in the Lucky Clover 4-H Club and ran the 4-H food booth at the Glasgow Fair for several years. She was a leader in the Nashua Community Club and in the construction of Ol’ Smokey Rodeo grounds in Nashua and the Nashua Winterfest. One of her favorite pastimes was gardening. She and Sam enjoyed their time traveling the southern part of the U.S. with good friends and meeting new people. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and having them at the family farm. She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam Sylvester. She is survived by her sons, Rock Sylvester of Highland Village, Texas, Shawn Sylvester of Brookfield, Conn., and Tara Sylvester, Billings; and six grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Bell Mortuary in Glasgow. A private family inurment will be in Highland Cemetery.

LaDonna Tade Sauer, 89, of Billings, formerly of Nashua, died April 4, 2022. She was born on Sept. 29, 1932, to Edward and Lillian (Stroud) Tade in Ossette. She was the third of six children. She was raised in a farm family in eastern Montana where she attended Nashua School. She met Simon Perter “Sam” Sauer and wed him on Oct. 6, 1951, at Queen of Angels Church in Nashua. With their adventurous spirits, they moved to Anchorage, Alaska, in the spring of 1952. While in Alaska, she worked at the post office for 10 years, was a house wife, earned her high school diploma at the age of 40 and received her real estate license and sold property. Her love for real estate and the stock market continued through the remainder of her life. They lived in Alaska for 25 years where they raised two children. After her husband retired in 1976, they moved to Glasgow to live their dream of farming. They farmed the Tade farm until Sam’s death in 1992. She stayed on the hill and farmed with her son, Jason, until 2007. For health reasons, she moved to Billings in 2007 where she resided until her death. She loved spending with her family and extended family. Her years of traveling to Arizona to spend time with her brothers and sisters were some of her favorite memories. She loved to play games and entertain guests. She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam Sauer; brothers, Edward Tade Jr. and Marvin Tade; and her sister, Helen Elkin. She is survived by her daughter, Cheryl Sauer; son, Jason Sauer; two grandchildren; a great-grandson; sister, Marcia Zygmond; and brother, Ron Tade. A graveside service will be held April 19 at 10:30 a.m. at Highland Cemetery.

Amedie F. “Bud” Iwen, 84, of Helena died April 4, 2022, at Touchmark in Helena. He was born March 11, 1938, in Froid to Ada and Austin Iwen, the seventh of nine children. He and his wife, Mary Helen, met at Wolf Point High School and married June 16, 1959. They had five children. He was raised in Wolf Point and graduated from Wolf Point High School in 1956. He continued his education at Jamestown College in North Dakota, transferring to Carroll College and graduating in 1960 with a B.A. degree in English. He was bureau chief at United Press International and a broadcaster on radio and TV. He was employed by Carroll College for three different positions and was a season ticket holder for both football and basketball for many years. People may remember his voice from announcing local games. He was honored to be named the Montana Sportscaster of the Year in 1964 and 1968. He finished out his career at Shodair Hospital as foundation director. He and Mary Helen are members of St. Helena Cathedral Parish and he was parish council president in 1974. Many friendships began at the cathedral and his involvement with the Helena Lions Club also led to lasting relationships they treasured. On Sundays during the summer after attending mass at the Helena Cathedral, he and Mary Helen would pack up the family and picnic food to spend the afternoon at Moose Creek Campground with the Crants family. While the adults were enjoying their quality time, the children would “accidentally” fall into the creek. Those moments at Moose Creek created long-lasting memories for friends and family. Another valued family tradition was to load the family station wagon and head north to the Hi-Line to visit relatives in Wolf Point. These yearly trips solidified family relationships between Bud and his brothers, nieces and nephews. He is survived by his wife, Mary Helen; children, Suzy Harlen, Jackie Schmoldt, Chelle Fields, Helen Yuhas and Ken Iwen; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. A funeral was held Monday, April 11, at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home in Helena.

Melvin Azure Sr., 58, of Wolf Point died March 31, 2022, in Wolf Point. He was born in Baker to Ervin Bruno Azure and Donna Mae Boyd on June 21, 1963. He attended schools in Wolf Point and graduated in 1982. After graduating high school, he went to work at A& S Industries and, during the summers, he went firefighting. A few years later, he began his life of roughnecking, which he loved immensely. Through all of this, he found the time to run, which was his passion. He could outrun anyone around, even while wearing his fire fighting boots. He competed in many races, including the Human Stampede during the Wild Horse Stampede weekend and the Longest Dam Run at Fort Peck. He placed first many times and acquired his very own fan club from people who admired and looked up to him. It wasn’t until the last 12 years that he became a laborer, to where he wore many hats from mechanic, construction worker, cement layer, lumberjack and the list goes on. There was nothing that he couldn’t and wouldn’t do. In 2013, he almost died of hypothermia to where he lost eight of his fingers and all of his toes. He never let his disability keep him from hard work and never looked at himself as being disabled. He told everyone that he could still outwork anybody, even without his fingers and toes. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, who loved the outdoors. He loved to laugh, had a great sense of humor, wore the biggest smile and was full of life. He worked hard all his life and played just as hard too. It was in 1986 that he became a father and his daughter Arden Morales Anderson was born. Later on, he met Laurette Wetsit and, from this union, they had five children, Da’veau, Mariah, Melvin Jr., Jacob and Joclynn. He is survived by his children, Arden, Melvin Jr., Jacob and Joclynn; five grandchildren; brothers, Ervin Azure, Curtis Azure, Craig Azure and Michael Nelson; and sisters, Brenda Calder, Paula Azure, Cindy Welch and Julie Azure. He was preceded in death by his children, Da’veau and Mariah; and brother, Robert Azure. His funeral was held Saturday, April 9, at the new Community Hall in Wolf Point. Interment followed at St. Ann’s Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements.

Kenneth “Malibu” Heathman, 53 of Wolf Point died March 28, 2022, in Billings. He was a member of the Bad Temper Bear Clan. He was born in Reno, Nev., on July 3, 1968. He spent most of his early years in Reno, but also lived in Las Vegas, Nev., Atlantic City, N.J., and Fairbanks, Alaska. As a young man, he fell in love with figure skating, becoming a very accomplished skater due to his dedication and love of the sport. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and people were drawn to him. He found humor in everything he did and was always surrounded by friends and laughter. He loved to socialize, dance and spend time with friends and family, often being the “life of the party.” While living in Reno, he worked as a Black Jack dealer and also later as a reservation supervisor for Hilton Hotels. In 1998, he and his mother, Roseanne, moved to Wolf Point, where he was reconnected with his large extended family. Over the years, he attended Fort Peck Community College as well as Rocky Mountain College. He went to work for the Office of Environmental Protection in Poplar before finally taking a job that he really enjoyed with the Fort Peck Tribes in the enrollment office. He was preceded in death by his father, Ron Heathman. He is survived by his mother, Roseanne Shields of Wolf Point; daughter, Melissa Hoffman; two grandchildren; brother, Michael Heathman. Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 5, at Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel in Wolf Point, with cremation to follow. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.

Iris “Oosh” Campbell, 58, of Wolf Point died March 27, 2022. She was born Nov. 5, 1963. She attended school in Wolf Point and Issaguely, Wash. She attended high school in Brigham City, Utah, graduating in 1982. She pre-enlisted in the United States Air Force, completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. She returned to Montana only to enroll in college at Haskell Indian College in Lawrence, Kansas. She then returned to Wolf Point where she began her employment with A& S Industries as a supervisor and worked there for nine years until the plant shut down. She attended Fort Peck Community College and tended bar until 1993 and did seismography. She then began work for the Fort Peck Tribes as a detention officer for the next 13 years. She worked odd jobs from then on. She met Dale Wilson and had two sons, Joseph Warren and James Francis. She then met Rodney Adams and had her third son, Jared Duane. She loved life. She was a caring mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend. Her quick wit and innate ability to find humor in most life circumstances kept people rolling in laughter. She loved all sports especially basketball and softball and excelled at both. She could fix anything in her own way, which usually required some duct tape. She was very creative and showered her family and friends with celebration events that she would go above and beyond for. She was also half detective often solving our reservation mysteries on her own. She loved dogs. She was preceded in death by her mother, Darlene Campbell; sister, Lisa; and sons, Joseph and Jared. She is survived by her son, James; a grandson; brothers, David Campbell, Steven Campbell and Duane Love; and sister, Jennifer. Funeral services were held Monday, April 4, at the new Community Hall in Wolf Point. Interment was at King Memorial Cemetery in Wolf Point. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was been entrusted with arrangements.

William Delane Young, , died March 25, 2022, in Sioux Falls, S.D. He was born on May 12, 1970, in Poplar. He graduated from Job Corps in Nemo, S.D., where he received his high school diploma and a certificate in bricklaying. He met Arlene LaFramboise and they had Lakota and Dakota Young. He later met Kerri White and they had Shiane and Richard Young. He worked various odd jobs during his lifetime. He liked to listen to his Buddy Redbow, pow-wow and Dwight Yoakam. He also like to go on walks, visit his family and friends. He was always a giver and would give his shirt off his back. He is survived by his mother, Naomi Montclair; two daughters, Lakota and Shiane Young; two sons, Dakota and Richard Young; two sisters, Luella “LuLu” Montclair and Melissa Montclair; four brothers, Conrad Young, Robert Montclair, Curtis Montclair and Loren Weinberger; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Moses, Clifton and Mike. Funeral services were held Monday, April 4, at the Poplar Cultural Center. Interment was at Riverside Presbyterian Cemetery in Riverside. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel has been entrusted with arrangements.

Joise Denney Wolchesky died March 21, 2022, in Billings, Mont. She was born April 12, 1927, at Perry, Okla., the fourth child of Russell and Hilda Dayton Denney. She was raised and attended school at Belfry, where she was valedictorian of her class. To the age of 12, she lived with her grandmother, Anna Hancock. After graduation, Joise was employed at the Roosevelt County Welfare Department and she and William Wolchesky were married in Wolf Point on July 3, 1947. They were divorced in 1970. Joise was employed by the USDA for 34 years, based at times in Wolf Point, Bozeman, Guam, Honolulu and Hilo, Hawaii. While in the Pacific, she helped establish offices at Guam, Saipan, Ponape, Truk, Yap, Palau, Kosrae, Marshall Islands and American Samoa, as well as a state office in Hilo, Hawaii. During her 16 years in the Pacific, she traveled and assisted in these county offices as well as the Hawaii county